Travel chaos erupted on Tuesday, January 13, as three major airports in Europe were forced to temporarily close. 

Airports in Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Vienna, Austria, have all been forced to shut down due to harsh weather conditions. A spokesperson for Vienna’s airport revealed that a thick layer of ice had formed on the runway and continued to freeze despite efforts to clear it.

Flights were forced to divert to other airports as a result.

Over in Prague, “intense freezing rain” has left the airport struggling to operate, according to social media.

The airport shared on X: “Václav Havel Airport Prague is currently operating only in a very limited mode. Due to intense freezing rain, arrivals are being restricted to allow for de-icing of the main runway, taxiways, and aircraft stands.

“These arrival restrictions will cause flight delays throughout the day. We kindly ask passengers to monitor our website and their airline’s website for up-to-date information.”

Pemitted arrivals have increased from two to six per hour at the airport. However, the airport is still in the process of trying to clear up ice across the main runway and other airport surfaces.

It added: “We kindly ask passengers to monitor our website for the latest overview of arrivals and departures, as well as information from the airline operating their flight.”